A group of university students in Turkey's Black Sea province of Samsun were beaten by private security guards and police officers before being detained for attempting to protest the government, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Students were slapped and beaten while one female student was dragged along the ground by her hair.

Security forces had first warned students coming towards the university campus for the protest to turn back. The students refused and the crowd began to march towards the campus carrying signs and shouting slogans. A clash broke out when private security attempted to disperse the students by force, prompting riot police to intervene.

Twenty students were detained and put on a police bus.

The students had wanted to protest the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) prior to a visit by Sports and Youth Minister Minister Suat Kılınç to the university.

Minister Kılıç arrived about 15 minutes after the crows was dispersed.